"There must be some mistake."
Peggy dropped their bags and kicked the door shut. "What mistake?"
Sousa turned his head towards her, looking as exhausted as she felt. "There's only one bed."
She shook her head, certain that she hadn't heard him correctly. "What?"
"They made a mistake at the front desk. There's only one bed."
"You are bloody kidding me."
"I know, Peggy — Agent Carter — I'm sorry, I'll go down and get another room —"
"This is the last room they have." She took a deep breath. "We are both exhausted, we both adults, and we can handle sharing the bed for one night."
Sousa gaped at her, turning red. Then he stiffened, giving a little hop with his crutch as he stood straight. "You take the bed."
She frowned, "And where do you think you'll sleep?"
He looked around, obviously noting the decided lack of a couch or even a chair in the small motel room. "I'll go back to the car."
"You'll… Did I hear you correctly? You'll go back to the car? And what? Sleep in the back seat?"
He tipped his chin up. "Yes."
She rolled her eyes. "There is no back seat in the car we rented, remember?"
Sousa opened his mouth to reply, then shut it. After a moment staring at her, he grumbled, "I'll sleep on the floor, then."
She groaned. "I am too tired for this. It's a big bed, we can share."
"No." He clenched his jaw.
She was so tired that she damn near stamped her foot in exasperation. Stubborn man. "Why on Earth not?"
He looked away. "My leg."
She had to strain to hear his whisper. She stood there in stunned silence as it hit her all at once. Sousa was a proud man, and he was ashamed of what he considered his disability. He didn't want her to see him vulnerable and less than a man. Idiot, stupid man.
"Daniel Sousa. You get in that bed this instant! If you think for one damn minute —" she advanced on him as he hopped back in alarm, "that I care two figs about that leg, rather than you, then you need to think again."
His glared down at her. "No."
"Why not?"
"If for nothing else, Agent Carter, we are a man and a woman, not married, and I will not not endanger your reputation like that. And how do you know I wouldn't..." He looked away again. "I wouldn't… do something."
Her jaw dropped. "Damn my reputation. You will get in that bed, we will finally get some sleep, and nothing else will happen. I'm not about to have sex until I'm married."
His eyes swung back to her, widening. "Why Agent Carter, is that a proposal? We're not even dating."
She felt like laughing. She was too tired for this. "Yes. Yes it was. And we are dating. As of now. You can still say no, of course. But even then, you damn, stubborn man, you will get in that bed so we can sleep. We've got a long drive tomorrow."
Sousa's mouth twitched, fighting back a grin, and his brown eyes softened. "All right, Peg. And when the time comes, will you at least let me give you a proper proposal?"
She moved closer, affection filling her as she tipped her face up to his. "Yes."
"Good."
Then warm lips were on hers, as a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.